4 Features to Look for in a Joint Venture Partner

The right JV partner will make all the difference in the success of your joint venture. Your partner will play a key role in driving traffic to your website, raising consumer confidence in your business, and providing you with additional knowledge and support. To help you find the best JV partners for your needs, we have listed four important features to consider as you are approaching prospective partners.

Similarities

In order to attract business to your own company, you need to target customers that would be interested in buying your products or services in the first place. When you select a JV partner in a similar industry to your own, the customers from that business will be much more interested in yours.

For example, if you sell pool supplies, look for a JV partner who works in landscaping or sells swimming gear. If you are a florist, check out prospective partners like wedding planners who can send high quality customers your way.

By the same token, do not choose partners who are in the exact same industry, or you will end up competing for customers rather than working in a symbiotic arrangement.

Mailing List

Since the purpose of a joint venture is to increase customer contacts, it is helpful to find a prospective partner who has a substantial mailing list in place already. In this situation, your JV partner could help you target your own list with an offer that appeals to the special needs of the customers you are hoping to attract.

This is actually beneficial to both your partner and to your own business, as customers prefer to be contacted about specific services they might be interested in, rather than at random with unrelated products and services.

Consumer Confidence

In addition to a large mailing list, it is important to find a JV partner who had developed a strong sense of consumer confidence among his current customer base. If your partner’s customers already trust him completely, they will be much more likely to trust you as well. This usually comes with established companies that have been in the industry for a significant amount of time. You can detect consumer confidence through testimonials listed on the business website or through reviews of the company or products listed on other websites.

Willingness to Partner

It is important to find JV partners who are actually willing to work with you to develop both of your businesses to the fullest. In many cases, David will have to attract Goliath through the offer of commissions – and a big enough cut to make the giant sit up and take notice.

However, the rest of the agreement should be optimal for both parties in terms of links and mailing lists provided and equality between any joint advertising that is done. When you go into a JV partnership with a willing participant, the experience is much more enjoyable and profitable for everyone involved.

Finding JV partners involves plenty of homework to determine the best partners for your unique business needs. With these features in mind, you will be more likely to discover the best JV partners to grow your bottom line.